Brock employees gathered across campus Tuesday, June 20 for the University’s largest-ever Employee Wellness Day.

More than 600 participants explored a variety of activities, from instruction in bocce and crochet to friendly competition in ball hockey and euchre, while also connecting with colleagues old and new.

John Dick, Manager of Grounds Services, led a native plant walk along one of Brock’s nature trails.

The day began with Niagara Region Métis Council Senator Jean-Jacques Seguin offering a special wellness message and Ian Gordon, Brock Library Teaching and Learning team member delivering a personal Land Acknowledgement.

Capping off the day, Alison Lahn, Department of Child and Youth Studies (CHYS), Co-ordinator and Academic Advisor, was recognized as the fourth annual Health, Safety and Wellness (HSW) Champion during the closing ceremony.

“I am so honoured to be selected as this year’s Champion,” she said. “I was at the very first Wellness Day and it has always been such an important day for Brock employees, but especially now after the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted how we think about health and wellness.”

Celebrating 25 years at Brock in August, Lahn serves as the Emergency Warden for the third floor of the Roy and Lois Cairns Health and Bioscience Research Complex. This volunteer role requires up-to-date first aid training, knowledge of resources such as defibrillator locations, and additional training on responding to urgent situations and communicating with first responders.

Lahn said being prepared for emergencies and ensuring the safety of others on campus is “of the utmost importance.”

“However, wellness also has to do with mental, emotional and spiritual health, and being on the front-line addressing the needs of students means I’ve had to learn work-life balance.”

Lahn credits the late Carol Penner, an Administrative Co-ordinator in CHYS, for getting her involved as a Wellness Day volunteer since the event’s early years.

“Wellness Day always has really positive energy. Many people look forward to it and was nice to be back,” Lahn said.

Also announced during the closing ceremony were the winners of the bike raffle and penny sale.

Simone Lammers, Co-op Education Talent Partnerships Consultant, won the bike raffle. An avid cyclist, is grateful to the organizing committee and donors and said the bike will be well used.

The penny sale raised $3,574 raised for scholarships. Employees can check the Wellness Day SharePoint page to see if they purchased a winning ticket for one of the 78 prizes available.

In the next month, Wellness Day participants will receive an email from Brock’s Office of People and Culture inviting them to participate in an online survey. Feedback gathered from the survey will inform planning for future Wellness Day events.

Participants can share photos of the day by emailing wellnessday@brocku.ca and including the session or activity and, if possible, the names of individuals in the photos.